Mining apparatus



M. P. HOLMES MINING APPARATUS Filed July 10. 19,31

Oct. 10, 1933.

Mmmm s( hln o 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 lum '/ A@ Amm.

Oct. l0, 1933. M, P. HOLMES' 1,929,426

MINING APPARATUS 'f7 A@ 41mm.

jatented 10, 1931i UNTED STATES Vv.rt'l

Massachusetts g reigns" 11,925,426 Y MINING APPARATUS Morris Holmes, Claremont, N. H., assignor to Sullivan Machinery Company, a corporation of Application July 10, 1931. Serial No. 549,952

18 Claims.

lThis invention relates to mining apparatus, and

more particularly, but not exclusively, to improvements in coal mining apparatus of the track supported and guided type adapted to operate from thelmine trackway.

.An object of this invention is to provide an im- Another object proved coal mining apparatus.

operate from the mine trackvvay. A further object is to provide an improved propelling mechanism for such an apparatus.

Still another object is to provide an improved propelling mechanism for a mining apparatus of the` aforesaid character, 5i which is supplemental to the usual truck wheel driving mechanism. Yet another object is to provide in such a apparatus an improved haulage means supplemental to the truck wheel driving mechanism for propelling the apparatus along the mine trackway, said supplemental haulage means under certain conditions complementing the truck wheel driving mechanism in the prochine along the mine trackway.

A further object is-to provide an improved haul- I age means for a mining apparatus of the track supported and guided type includingl apower winding Idevice and a cooperating draft element. A still further object is to provide an improvedl supplemental propelling means for a mining apparatus of the track supported andrguided type including a haulage means and a cooperating draft element, the latter connectible to an extraneous abutment'whereby, in case the tractive effort of the truck wheel drive is insunicient to 'propely the apparatus with the necessary power, the same may be augmented or at times supplanted oy the improved supplemental haulage means;

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will, however, subsequently more fully appeal?.

In the accompanying drawings there is shown, for purposes or illustration, one form which the invention may assume in practice.

In these drawings,`

Fig. l is a plan view of a coal mining apparatus having embodied therein the illustrative embodiment of the means.

improved supplemental haulage Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1.

to facilitate illustration.'

Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially on line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view illustrating the improved supplemental haulage means. Y

In this illustrative embodiment of the invention, the improved supplemental haulage means, generally designated l, is, for illustrative purposes, shown embodied in a coal mining apparatus of the same general character as that' disclosed in the patent to Morris P. Holmes, No. 1,785,951, patented Dec. 23, 1939; although it is evident that the improved supplemental pro polling means may he utilized in an equally effective manner with mining apparatus of various other types. This mining apparatus is of the combined .horizontal and shear cutter type and generally comprises a main frame 2 mounted on adjustable front and rear supports 3 and e, respectively,herein comprising swingahle arms supported on trucl; wheels 5 adapted to run along a usual mine trackway 6. Y Supported 'on the main frame 2 for rotation about a longitudinal axis within spaced bearing means 'i and 8, is a rotatable support 9 having attached thereto at its forward end a cutter head l0. .Pivo-tally mounted on the cutter head for swinging movement relative thereto is a cutter har ll which lcarries on .its margin a usual cutter chain 12. The support 9 houses a motor 13 which drives the mechanisms for rotating the support 9, swinging the cutter bar il, actuating the cutter chain l2, as hereinafter described, the mechanism iorl vdriving the truck wheels and the improved supplemental haulage means l. As described in the above mentioned patent, the supports-3 andl 4 may he adjusted'either simultaneously or one independentlyor the other to effect-adjustment of the main frameV l together with outL ting mechanism carried thereby into diierent elevated'positions relati'veto the'. trackway and' into tilted positions about Va transverse axis to change the angle in altitude of the cutting mechanism, as conditions may reduire.l As the'spen cic'construction of the mechanisms for rotating the support, for swinging thecutter par,Y and for actuating the cutter chain does not enter into thisinvention, further description of the same is thought unnecessary.

Now referring to the truck wheel driving mechanism, it will be noted that the power shaft 14. of the motor i3 has keyed thereto a spur pinion meshing with a spur gear 16 suitably secured to allongitudinally extending shaft' i7. Also secured to thisv shaft and driven thereby is a spur 18 meshing with a spur gear 19 secured to a shaft 20, herein arranged parallel with the shaft 17, as shown in Fig. Il. Keyed to the shafts main frame 2. These worm wheels are selectively connectible to the shaft by multiple disc clutches 26 and 27, respectively; and these clutches have suitable operating means so that when one clutch is applied the other is released. It is therefore evident that the shaft 25 may be driven at either a high or a low speed, depending upon which one of the` clutches 26V and 27 is applied. Keyed to one end of the shaft 25 is a bevel gear 23 meshing with reverse bevels 29 and 36 suitably rotatably supported by a longitudinally extending shaft 31, the latter in turn being suitably journaled on the side of the main frame 2. These reverse bevels are selectively connectible to the shaft 31 by multipleV disc clutches 32 and 33, respectively, having any suitable :form of operating means so that when one or the other of these clutches is applied, the shaft 31 may be driven in one direction or the other. As shown in Fig. 3, connected by a coupling 34 to the shaft 31 is an alined shaft 35, suitably journaled on the machine frame and having keyed thereto at its forward end a bevel gear 36 meshing with a bevel gear 37 suitably rotatably supported onv a horizontal transversely extending shaft 38. The bevel gear 37 is corinectible to the shaft 38 by a sliding clutch 39, and keyed to the outer end of this shaft a chain sprocket 40. This chain sprocket is connected by an endless chain connection 4l to a sprocket 42 arranged With its axis coincident with the pivotal axis of the rear support The sprocket 42 is connected in driving relation with the rear support Wheel through a chain and sprocket connection 43, and to the front support wheels through chain and sprocket connections 44 and 45, in the mannerclearly described in the above mentioned patent. It will thus be seen that the 1 truck wheels may be driven to propel the aplparatus along the mine trackway at either a relatively highorra relatively low speed under the control of the speed controlling clutches 26 and 27, and that the truck wheels may be driven reverse frictions 32 and 33, and herein includes a shaft 46 which is herein an extension of theA shaft 38, and journaled on this shaft is a haulage drum 48. This haulage drum is connectible to the shaft 46 by a multiple disc clutch 49. The

' haulage drum is provided with rope winding surfaces 50 and 5l separated by a radial flange 52, herein disposed intermediate the inner and outer drum flanges 53 and 54. The shaft extension 46 is journaled in a ball bearing 55 supported by a bracket 56 suitably attached to the machine frame, and mounted "on this shaft extension are bearing sleeves 57, 57 on which the drumhubs are rotatably mounted. The outer hub 58 of the drum is externally threaded at 59 and has threadedly connected thereto. aV clutch The truck applying member 60 engageable with a pressure plate 61 for pressing the clutch discs of the friction clutch 49 together to apply theV clutch 49, and the drum is retained on the shaft extension by a retaining washer 62 held in position by a holding nut 63 threadedly connected to thereduced outer end 64 of the shaft 46. Wound upon the haulage drum is a draft cable 65, so that when the drum when viewed as shown in Fig. 2, rotates in a counter-clockwise direction, the draft cable is wound upon the winding surface 50 of the drum. To enable winding in ofthe draft cable 65 during rotation of the drum in a clockwise direction without rewinding the cable on the drum surface 50, the intermediate drum flange 52 is slotted at 66 and the slotted ends of this flange are rounded at 67 to form abutments, so that the cable 65 may be passed from the winding surface 50 through the slot 66 and wound upon the winding surface 51 in an opposite direction so that as the drum is rotated in a clockwise direction the cable is wound in on the winding surface 51 of the drum. The draft cable 65 is adapted to be extended rearwardly from the drum around a guide sheave 68 rotatably supported by a bracket 69 attached to one side of the machine frame adjacent the rear end thereof, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

' The operation of the improved mining apparatus will now be described. The apparatus may be vpropelled along the mine trackway at a relatively high transport speed under the control of the fast speed control clutch 26 and the friction clutch 33. The truck Wheels are driven from the motor 13 at a high transport speed through the spur gearing 15, 16, worm gearing 21, 23, bevel gearing 28, 30, shafts 31, 35, bevel gearing 36, 37, and the chain and Vsprocket connections 41, 43, 44 and 45. If it is desired to` propel the apparatus along the mine trackway in the reverse direction at a relativelyv high speed, the friction clutch 33 is released andthe reverse friction 32 applied, and as a result the truck wheels are driven at a high speed in a reverse direction. During the cutting operation, the cutting mechanism is operated to cut akerf in the coal face, and the sumping and withdrawal cuts are' effected by propelling the apparatus bodily along the mine trackway at a relatively lowy cutting speed. The relatively low speed drive of the truck wheels for propelling the apparatus forwardly along the mine trackwayis effected by the motor 13 through transmission gears 15, 16, 18, 19, worm gearing 22, 24, bevelV gearing 28, 30, shafts 31, 35, Vbevel gearing 36, 37, and the kchain and sprocket connections 41, 43, 44and 45. The apparatus may be propelled rearwardly along the trackway at a low cutting speed simplyrby releasing the friction-clutch 33 and applying the reverse friction 32, thereby effecting reversal of the truck wheel drive. If for any reason they truck wheels slip relative to the track rails during the cutting operation and their tractive effort is insufficient for propelling the machine along the mine trackway to effect sumping and withdrawal'movements of the cutter bar, the truck wheel driving mechanism may be supplemented and at times supplanted by the improved supplemental haulage means 1. When it is desired to propel the appar-tus by means of the haulage drum 48, the draft cable 65 is unwound from the drum and extended to a point in advance of the-apparatus and anchored at its free end. If it isidesired to wind in the draft cable Yat a speed appropriate to effect propulsion lait' of the apparatus at a cutting speed, the friction clutches 27 and 33 are applied, thereby eecting rotation of the drum 48 in Winding direction at a relatively low speed. Upon reversal of the truck wheel drive, the drum 48 is simultaneously reversed, and to enable the drum to wind in the cable to effect propulsion of the apparatus along the mine trackway in the reverse direction during reverse truck wheel drive, the free end of the cable may be passed through the slot 66 in the drum flange 52 and wound in a reverse direction around the winding surface 51 of the drum so that when the direction of truck wheel drive is reversed by applying the reverse friction 32, the drum 48 will still wind in the cable without rewinding of the cable on the drum surface 51. 1t will also be evident that the lcable 65 may be extended in a forward or rearward direction. from the drum souhat while the drum rotates in a singl direction the draft cable may be wound in to propel the apparatus either forwardly or rearwardly, The drum 48 may be entirely disconnected from its drive at will simply by threading the member 6D outwardly along the drum hub to release the disc clutch 49.

As a res t of this invention, it will be noted that an improved Lining apparatus of the track supported and guided type is provided, having improved propelling means whereby it is possible 'Lo supplement the truck wheel drive in case the 'r ck wheels slip relative to the track rails, for

tance when the machine is effecting its sumpd withdrawal cuts or moving along a steeply incined traekway. 1t will further be noled that ai proved supplemental haulage means is provided whereby when the haulage drum is rotated in either of opposite directions, the draft cable may be still v:round in without rewinding thereof the drum, simply by passing the free end of cable through the slot in the intermediate drum flange and winding the cable in the reverse ion on the Winding surface 51 of the drum. 't will also be noted that the improved supplental mechanism may be embodied in a g apparatus of a standard design with'a minimum of change and expense the haulage means driven through the truck wheel driving mechanism under the control of the speed control clutches and the reverse frictions which also control the truck wheel drive. These and other uses and advantages of the improved minapparatus will be clearly apparent to thos skilled in the art. f

ile i have in this application specifically described one embodiment which my invention'may.

. e in practice, it will be understood thatthis .hewn for purposes of illustration only,

he ini/'err ion may be modified and enivarious other forms Without departing claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Lott 13a* ent is:-

l. a mining apparatus, feeding mechanism comprising a haulage drum, a draft cable thereon, having a s'ugle free end connectible to an .neous abut .ientand means for rotating said irum in either of opposite directions, said drum ei/'ing means whereby when said cable is parlly wound on said drum, said cable may be further Wound by said drum to effect feed. of

apparatus in either of opposite directions irre pective of the direction of rotation of said drum and without rewinding of the cable on said drum.

cable winding surfaces, and a draft cable wound on said drum in opposite directions about said surfaces and having a single free end, mechanism for rotating said drum in winding direction at either a high or a low speed, and mechanism for reversing the irection of drum rotation at will, the cable being so arranged on said drum that irrespective of the direcfion of drum'rotation and Without completely rewinding the. cable on the drum the cable may be wcundin to effect. feed of the apparatus in either direction.

3. In a mining apparatuafeeding mechanism comprising a haulage having a plurality of cable Winding surfaces and a draf cable wound on said drum in opposite directions about said surfaces and having a single free end, a drive shaft on which saiddrum is rotatably supported, and clutch meansffcr connecting 'said drum directly to said shaft, the cable beine so arranged on said drum that irrespecE ive of the direction of drum rotation and without completely rewinding wound on said-drum in opposite directions about said surfaces and having a single free end, a drive shaft on which said drum is rotatably supported and clutch means for connecting said drum directly to said shaft, and operating means for said clutch means including anoperating member threadedly connectedto the drum hub, the cable being so arranged on said drum that irrespective of the direction of drum rotation and without completely rewinding the cable on the `drum the cable may be wound in to effect feed of the apparatus `in either direction.

5.1n a mining apparatus, the combination with cutting. mechanism and propelling means for said cutting mechanism, of supplemental propelling means for `the cutting mechanism including a haulage drum havinga plurality of 2. 'In a mining apparatus, feeding mechanism comprising a haulage drum having a plurality of Y lll cable winding surfaces, and draft cable having y a single free end and wound in opposite directions about said surfaces on said drum, said cable being so arranged on the drum that one portion thereof when wound on one of said surfaces effects feed of the apparatus in one direction and Vanother portion thereofwound on the other drum surface effects-feed of the apparatus in the opposite direction. 6.1n a mining apparatus, the combination with cutting mechanism and propelling means* for said cutting mechanism, of supplemental propelling means for the cutting mechanism including a haulage drum having a plurality of cable Winding surfaces, and a draft cable wound in opposite directions'aboutsaid surfaces on drum, and havingy a singlevfree end, the cable being wound-on one winding surface in one direction and having its lfree end wound on the other surface in the reverse direction, the portion J of said cable wound o n-one surface effecting feedi so paratus is supported and guided by the mine Vtrackway, of propelling means for the apparatus comprising a haulage drum, a draft cable thereon and having a single free end connectible vto an extraneous abutment, and means for rotating said drum in either of opposite directions, said drum havincr means whereby when the cable is partially wound on said drum, said cable may be'further wound by said drum to effect propulsion of the apparatus along the trackway in either direction irrespective of the direction of rotation of the drum and Without rewinding of the cable on the drum.

8. The combination with a mining apparatus of the wheel mounted type adapted to run along the mine tracltway and having kerf cutting mechanisrn adapted to operate while the apparatus is supported and guided by the mine trackway and means for propelling the apparatus by the drive of the supporting wheels thereof, of supplemental propelling means for the apparatus operable simultaneously with the support wheel driving means comprising a haulage drum, a draft cable thereon and having a single, free end connectible to an extraneous abutment, and means for rotating said drum in either of opposite directions,

said drum having means whereby when the cableis partially Wound on said drum, said cable may be further Wound in by said drum to effect propulsion of the apparatus along the trackway in either direction irrespective of the direction of rotation of the drum and without rev/inding of the cable on the drum.

9. The combination With a mining apparatus of the Wheel mounted type adapted to run along the mine trackway and having kerf cutting mechanism adapted to operate while the apparatus is supported and guided by the mine trackway and means for propelling the apparatus by the'drive of the supporting wheels thereof, of supplemental propelling means for the apparatus operable simultaneously with the support wheel driving means comprising a haulage drum having end drum flanges and an intermediate flange separating the drum Winding surfaces, and a draft cable wound on one of said winding surfaces and having its free end wound upon the other winding surface of the drum whereby the cable may be wound in by said drum to effect propulsion of the apparatus along the trackway in either direction Without rewinding the cable on the drum.

l0. The combination with a mining apparatus of the wheel mounted type adapted to run along the mine trackway and having kerf cutting mechanism adapted to operate while the apparatus is supported andguided by the mine trackway, of propelling means for the apparatus coniprising a haulage drum having end drum flanges and an intermediate ange separating the drum winding surfaces, and a draft cable wound on one' of said winding surfaces and having its free fend wound in the reverse direction about the other Winding surface of the drum whereby the cable may be wound in by said drum to eifectpropulsion of the apparatus along the traclzway in either directionkwithout rewinding the cable on the drum. Y

l1. The combination Vwith a mining apparatus of the wheel mounted type adapted to run along the mine traclrway and having kerf cutting mechanisrn adapted to operate while the apparatus is supported and guided bythe mine traclrway, of propelling means for the apparatus compri-S- ing' a haulage drum having 'an intermediate flange separating the cablewinding surfaces, a draft Cable wound thereon, means for rotating s aid drum in either of opposite directions, and

means whereby said cable may be wound in by said drum to effect propulsion of the apparatus along the trackway in either direction irrespective of the direction of rotation of the drum and without rewinding of the cable on said drum, the intermediate flange having lan opening for passing the draftcable from one winding surface to the other.

12. The combination with a mining apparatus of the wheel mounted type adapted to run along the mine trackway and having lrerf cutting mechanism adapted to operate while the apparatus is supported and guided by the mine trackway, of propelling means for the apparatus comprising a haulage drum vhaving end drum fianges and an intermediate flange separating the drum winding surfaces, and a draft cable wound on one of said winding surfaces an'd having its free end wound upon the other winding surface of the ydrum whereby the cable may be wound in by said drum to effect propulsion of the apparatus along the trackway in either direction without rewinding the cable on the drum, the intermediate flange raving an opening for passing the draft cable from one winding surface to the other.

13. The combination with a mining apparatus of the wheel mounted type adapted to run along 1.35 the mine trackway and having kerf cutting mechanism adapted to operate while the apparatus is supported and guided by the mine trackway, of propelling means for the apparatus comprising a haulage drum having end drum flanges and an intermediate flange separating the drum Winding surfaces, and a draft cable wound on one of said winding surfaces and having its free end wound upon the other winding surface of the drum whereby the cable may be Wound in by said drum to effect propulsion of the apparatus along the trackway in either direction Without rewinding the cable on the drum, the intermediate flange having an opening for passing the draft cable from one Winding surface to the other and the 12.@ cable beingwound upon one surface in one direction and on the other surface in the reverse direction."

14. The combination with a mining apparatus of the wheel mounted type adapted to run along the mine tracliway and having kerf cutting mechanisin adapted to operate while the apparatus is supported and guided by the mine trackway, of propelling means for the apparatus comprising a vhaulage drum having coaxial winding surfaces,

the drum having'a flange arranged between said winding surfaces for separating said surfaces, said frange having an opening therein, and a draft cable wound on said drum surfaces and having an intermediate portion passing through said open- 133-, ing whereby the cable may be wound in by said drum to effect propulsion of the apparatus along the tracliwa'y in either direction and Without rewinding the cable on the drum.

' l5. The combination With a mining apparatus 140 of the wheel mounted type adapted to run along the mine trackway and having kerf cutting mechanism adapted to operate while the apparatus is supported and guided by the mine trackway, of propelling means for the apparatus comprising a haulage drum having co Xia-l winding surfaces, the drum having a iiange arranged between and separating said winding surfaces, said flange having a slot cut therethrough, and a draft cable Wound on said drum surfaces and having an inter- 15 mediate portion passing through said slot whereby the cable may be wound in by said drum to effect propulsion of the apparatus along the trackway in either direction and without rewinding the cable on the drum.

16. The combination with a mining apparatus of the wheel mounted. type adapted to run along the mine trackway and having lierf cutting mechanism adapted to operate while the apparatus is supported and guided by the mine trackway, ci propelling means for the apparatus comprising a haulage drum having coaxial winding surfaces, the drurn having a iiange arranged between said Winding surfaces for separating said surfaces, said flange having an opening therein, and a draft cable wound on said drum surfaces and having an intermediate portion passing through said opening, said cable being Wound on one winding surface in one direction and on the other` winding surface in the reverse direction whereby the cable may be wound in said drum to eifect propulsion of the apparatus along the traclrway in either direction and without reWinding the cable on the drum.

17. The combination with a mining apparatus of the wheel mounted type adapted to run along the mine trackway and having kerf cutting niechanism adapted to operate while the apparatus is supported and guided by the mine trackway, of

i propelling means for the apparatus comprising a haulage drum having coaxial winding surfaces, the drum having a iiange arranged between said Winding surfaces for separating said surfaces, said flange having a slot out therethrough, and a draft cable wound on said drum surfaces and having an intermediate portion passing through said slot, said cable being wound on one winding surface in one direction and on the other winding surface in the reverse direction whereby the cable may be wound in by said drum to effect propulsion of the apparatus along the trackway in either direction and without rewinding the cable on the drum.

18. The combination with a mining apparatus of the wheel mounted type adapted to run along the mine trackway and having kerf cutting mechanisrn adapted to operate while the apparatus is supported and guided by the mine traclrway, of propelling means for the apparatus comprising a haulage drum, and a draft cable thereon having a single free end, said drum having means whereby a portion of said cable may be wound in one direction around said drum and another portion thereof in the reverse direction including an abutment on said drum around whichl an intermediate portion of said cable is adapted to pass whereby the cable may be wound in by said druzn to eect propulsion of the apparatus along the trackway in either direction and without rewinding of the cable on the drum.

MORRIS P. HOLMES. 

